1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to telephony and the internet, and more particularly, to a software tool for notifying an internet user of an incoming telephone call.
2. Background
The past several years have seen an explosive growth of the internet. Most of the increase in the popularity of the internet can be attributed to the information content available through the World Wide Web (the xe2x80x9cWebxe2x80x9d). The Web is built around a network of xe2x80x9cserverxe2x80x9d computers which exchange requests and data from each other using the hypertext transfer protocol (xe2x80x9cHTTPxe2x80x9d). The Web consists of Web xe2x80x9cpagesxe2x80x9d designed by a human designer using the Hypertext Markup Language (xe2x80x9cHTMLxe2x80x9d). Each Web page contains graphical and text information. A new page may be accessed from the current page via a xe2x80x9chyperlink.xe2x80x9d
A user views a Web page using one of a number of commercially available xe2x80x9cbrowserxe2x80x9d programs. The browser submits an appropriate HTTP request to establish a communications link with a Web server on the network. A typical HTTP request references a Web page by its unique Uniform Resource Locator (xe2x80x9cURLxe2x80x9d). A URL identifies the Web server hosting that Web page, so that an HTTP request for access to the Web page can be routed to the appropriate Web server for handling.
A user requests internet access by subscribing to an Internet Service Provider (xe2x80x9cISPxe2x80x9d). The ISP owns one or more internet server computers and provides access to other server computers for its subscribers. A user may connect to an ISP server in many ways, but the most common connection method is via a computer modem over conventional analog telephone lines. The user initiates a connection by dialing an ISP-provided access number from within a communications application, usually provided by the ISP. The application transmits user-provided data, such as a user name and password, over the user""s computer modem to an application on the server computer. The server computer application confirms the user name and password and provides access to other internet servers. The user""s communications application can then launch other intemet applications, such as a Web browser.
While connected to the internet, however, the user may not receive any telephone calls over the analog telephone line. With the average internet user connected for over thirty minutes, internet users can frequently miss many important telephone calls. Call Waiting services do not provide an adequate solution to this problem. A user who subscribes to Call Waiting receives neither a visual nor an aural indication of an incoming telephone call. Moreover, many subscribers must disable the Call Waiting service because the Call Waiting transaction (usually one or two beeps) interrupts the user""s modem connection to the internet, usually dropping the call.
Other current options available to the user are similarly inadequate. For instance, the user may subscribe to a voice mail service. But such services do not provide an indication to the user that a call and voicemail message were received. In addition, many voicemail services do not answer telephone calls received on a busy line. The user may also elect to purchase a second analog telephone line exclusively reserved for internet use. In most instances, however, the relatively brief time spent on the internet does not warrant the accompanying installation and monthly telephone service costs.
The present invention overcomes the problems and disadvantages of the prior art by storing the telephone number and internet protocol address of a user in the course of initiating an internet session. The stored information may be used to locate the user on the internet and notify her of an incoming telephone call. The invention also provides the user with information about the caller, such as the caller""s name, street address, and telephone number. The internet user may then decide to: (1) ignore the call and continue working within the internet application; (2) accept the call and terminate the internet session, or (3) configure the incoming call as an internet telephony call so the internet session can continue.
In particular, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, internet call notification software stored on an internet user""s computer and advanced intelligent network software stored in a telephone network cooperatively notify the internet user of an incoming telephone call. The internet user sets the browser xe2x80x9chome pagexe2x80x9d to the location of the internet notification software. The software then prompts the user, within the browser to activate the internet call notification. If the user requests notification, first an internet protocol (xe2x80x9cIPxe2x80x9d) address is assigned by the user""s internet service provider. Next, the software transmits the assigned IP address to the network using TCP/IP networking. The telephone network stores the IP address together with the user""s telephone number in a database. When a subsequent telephone call is made to the user, the network accesses the database to determine if the user has an active internet session and, if so, to retrieve the IP address of the user. The telephone network then sends a message via the internet to the user""s call notification software at the retrieved IP address. The personal computer software then displays a window providing information about the call, such as the calling party""s name and telephone number along with options for the disposition of the telephone call. The user may elect to accept the telephone call or reject the call. If the user accepts the telephone call, the software closes the browser and connects the call to the user""s telephone line. If the user rejects the telephone call, the software informs the network that the user has rejected the call. The network may then allow the call to ring on the calling party""s end. Alternatively, the call may be forwarded to a specified alternate telephone number for the user.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is a method for notifying an internet user of an incoming telephone call from a calling party, the method comprising the steps of storing an internet protocol address of the user; receiving the incoming telephone call; retrieving the stored internet protocol address of the user; sending a message to the internet protocol address; displaying information regarding the telephone call; and providing options to the internet user for the disposition of the call.
Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.